FAQ
Common questions about privacy, browser support, data access, platforms, and troubleshooting.
Is this a keylogger?
No. Keystroke content is not captured unless you opt in (text_content = true); by default only the fact of typing and the field type are recorded. Password fields are excluded even if you opt in, redactors scrub recognizable secrets, and data does not leave your machine. See the privacy model.
Where does my data go?
Into one local SQLite file (~/.local/state/zanei/store.sqlite) and nowhere else. The binary has no feature that transmits data — there is no endpoint, no telemetry, no account. Data is deleted automatically after 48 hours by default.
Which browsers can it capture URLs from?
Chrome only, for now. Chromium’s AppleScript interface reports each window’s mode deterministically, which allows a hard guarantee that Incognito is always excluded. Safari and Firefox offer no reliable equivalent, so URL capture for them is deliberately not implemented rather than implemented unreliably. Details and the per-browser table: event reference.
How do I keep an app or site out of the record?
zanei filter exclude-app add com.example.app
zanei filter exclude-site add example.comThese are capture-time filters: matching events are discarded before being written, so there is nothing to clean up afterwards. Password managers are excluded by default. See filters.
Can I read the store directly?
Yes — it’s a regular SQLite file, and reading it directly is fine (that’s also how future language SDKs would work). For most purposes zanei query --format jsonl or zanei export is easier and keeps you on the stable event envelope rather than internal table layouts, which may change between versions.
How is this different from ChatGPT’s Computer History?
The same idea — your activity as context for an AI — with a different architecture: open source, local-only storage, no cloud processing, and agent-agnostic surfaces (CLI / skill / MCP) rather than one assistant. Zanei stops at structured, LLM-ready data; interpretation is done by whatever agent you connect.
Does it work on Windows or Linux?
Not yet. The event schema is OS-independent by design, and collectors for Windows (UI Automation) and Linux (AT-SPI2/evdev, X11 first) are on the roadmap. Today, Zanei is macOS only.
Can I use it on a work machine?
Zanei records your own activity on your own machine. If the machine is employer-managed, follow your organization’s policies. Using it to monitor other people is out of scope and may be illegal in your jurisdiction.
I granted a permission but doctor still says denied
Toggling a permission sometimes requires the recorded process to restart before macOS reports it correctly. Run zanei stop && zanei start, then zanei doctor again. If you built from source, remember that permissions bind to the signing identity — a rebuilt binary may need re-granting (see permissions).
My timeline is empty
Check in this order:
zanei status— is itrunning? If not:zanei start.zanei doctor— are permissions OK? (Missing permissions exit with code 3.)- Is the range right?
timelinedefaults to the last hour; try--since 24h. - Are filters in allow-list mode?
zanei filter showdisplays the active mode.
Something else?
Open an issue — bug reports and design discussion are welcome while the interface is being finalized.